Definition of ATTENUATES (original) (raw)
1
: to lessen the amount, force, magnitude, or value of : weaken
… shows great skill in the use of language to moderate or attenuate the impact of awkward facts.—
Bernard Lewis
2
: to reduce the severity, virulence, or vitality of
3
: to make thin or slender
Glass can be attenuated into fibers.
4
: to make thin in consistency : rarefy
attenuate oil by heating it
1
: reduced especially in thickness, density, or force
the attenuate limbs of a starving person
2
: tapering gradually usually to a long slender point
Did you know?
Attenuate ultimately comes from a combining of the Latin prefix ad-, meaning “to” or “toward,” and tenuis, meaning “thin,” a pedigree that is in keeping with the English word’s current meanings, which all have to do with literal or metaphorical thinning. The word is most common in technical contexts, where it often implies the reduction or weakening of something by physical or chemical means. You can attenuate wire by drawing it through successively smaller holes, for example, or attenuate gold by hammering it into thin sheets. Current evidence dates the term to the 16th century, in which we find many references to bodily humors in need of being attenuated; modern medicine prefers to use the word in reference to procedures that weaken a pathogen or reduce the severity of a disease.
Synonyms
Examples of attenuate in a Sentence
Verb
Earplugs will attenuate the loud sounds of the machinery. an investment attenuated by significant inflation over the years
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The government’s claim to legitimacy has been attenuated by corruption and nepotism, and its promises of a better future have been revealed as hollow. —Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023 The downside of using the K-band is its weather sensitivity—rain, for example, will easily attenuate the link. —Alessandro Balossino, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2022 Noise levels attenuate with distance, and most microphones struggle to distinguish drone noise from ambient sounds at distances greater than approximately 100 meters. —Vikram Mittal, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025 By attenuating wave energy, the reefs help create a calmer environment near the shoreline, minimizing erosion. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for attenuate 
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Verb
Middle English attenuat, from Latin attenuatus, past participle of attenuare to make thin, from ad- + tenuis thin — more at thin
First Known Use
Verb
1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of attenuate was in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near attenuate
Cite this Entry
“Attenuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attenuate. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Share
More from Merriam-Webster on attenuate
Last Updated: 11 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!